minded angels of the great Brahma held our a golden net to receive the

babe, who came forth from her right side like the rising sun bright

and perfect. 5

The Brahma-angels took the child and placing him before the mother

said: “Rejoice, O queen, a mighty son has been born unto thee.” 6

At her couch stood an aged woman imploring the heavens to bless the

child. 7

All the worlds were flooded with light. The blind received their

sight by longing to see the coming glory of the Lord; the deaf and

dumb spoke with one another of the good omens indicating the birth of

the Buddha to be. The crooked became straight; the lame walked. All

prisoners were freed from their chains and the fires of all the hells

were extinguished. 8

No clouds gathered in the skies and the polluted streams became

clear, whilst celestial music rang through the air and the angels

rejoiced with gladness. With no selfish or partial joy but for the

sake of the law they rejoiced, for creation engulfed in the ocean of

pain was now to obtain release. 9

The cries of beasts were hushed; all malevolent beings received a

loving heart, and peace reigned on earth. Mara, the evil one, alone

was grieved and rejoiced not. 10

The Naga kings, earnestly desiring to show their reverence for the

most excellent law, as they had paid honour to former Buddhas, now

went to greet the Bodhisatta. They scattered before him mandara

flowers, rejoicing with heartfelt joy to pay their religious homage.11

The royal father, pondering the meaning of these signs, was now

full of joy and now sore distressed. 12

The queen mother, beholding her child and the commotion which his

birth created, felt in her timorous heart the pangs of doubt. 13

Now there was at that time in a grove near Lumbini Asita, a rishi,

leading the life of a hermit. He was a Brahman of dignified mien,

famed not only for wisdom and scholarship, but also for his skill in

the interpretation of signs. And the king invited him to see the

royal babe. 14

The seer, beholding the prince, wept and sighed deeply. And when

the king saw the tears of Asita he became alarmed and asked: “Why has

the sight of my son caused thee grief and pain?” 15

But Asita’s heart rejoiced, and, knowing the king’s mind to be

perplexed, he addressed him, saying: 16

“The king, like the moon when full, should feel great joy, for the

has begotten a wondrously noble son. 17

“I do not worship Brahma, but I worship this child; and the gods in

the temples will descend from their places of honour to adore him. 18

“Banish all anxiety and doubt. The spiritual omens manifested

indicate that the child now born will bring delliverance to the whole

world. 19

“Recollecting that I myself am old, on that account I could not

hold my tears; for now my end is coming on and I shall not see the

glory of this babe. For this son of thine will rule the world. 20

“The wheel of empire will come to him. He will either be a king of

kings to govern all the lands of the earth, or verily will become a

Buddha. He is born for the sake of everything that lives. 21

“His pure teaching will be like the shore that receives the ship-

wrecked. His power of meditation will be like a cool lake; and all

creatures parched with the drought of lust may freely dring thereof.22

“On the fire of covetousness he will cause the cloud of his mercy

to rise, so that the rain of the law may extinguish it. The heavy

gates of despondency will be open, and give deliverance to all

creatures ensnared in the self-entwined meshes of folly and

ignorannce. 23

“The king of the law has come forth to rescue from bondage all the

poor, the miserable, the helpless.” 24

When the royal parents heard Asita’s words they rejoiced in their

hearts and named their new-born infant Siddhattha, that is, “he who

has accomplished his purpose.” 25

And the queen said to her sister, Pajapati: “A mother who has borne a future Buddha will never give birth to another child. I shall soon leave this world, my husband, the king, and Siddhattha, my child.

When I am gone, be thou a mother to him.” 26

And Pajapati wept and promised. 27

When the queen had departed from the living, Pajapati took the boy

Siddhattha and reared him. And as the light of the moon increases

little by little, so the royal child grew from day to day in mind and

in body; and truthfulness and love resided in his heart. 28

When a year had passed Suddhadana the king made Pajapati his queen

and there was never a better stepmother than she. 29V. THE TIES OF LIFE

When Siddhattha had grown to youth, his father desired to see him

married, and he sent to all his kinsfolk, commanding them to bring

their princesses that the prince might select one of them as his

wife. 1

But the kinsfolk replied and said: “The prince is young and

delicate; nor has he learned any of the sciences. He would not be

able to maintain our daughter, and should there be war he would be

unable to cope with the enemy.” 2

The prince was not boisterous, but pensive in his nature. He loved

to stay under the great jambu-tree in the garden of his father, and,

observing the ways of the world, gave himself up to meditation. 3

And the prince said to his father: “Invite our kinsfolk that they

may see me and put my strength to the test.” And his father did as

his son bade him. 4

When the kinsfolk came, and the people of the city Kapilavatthu had

assembled to test the prowess and scholarship of the prince, he proved

himself manly in all the exercises both of the body and of the mind,

and there was no rival among the youths and men of India who could

surpass him in any test, bodily or mental. 5

He replied to all the questions of the sages; but when he

questioned them, even the wisest among them were silenced. 6

Then Siddhattha chose himself a wife. He selected Yasodhara, his

cousin, the gentle daughter of the king of Koli. And Yasodhara was

betrothed to the prince. 7

In their wedlock was born a son whom they named Rahula which means

“fetter” or “tie”, and King Suddhodana, glad that an heir was born to

his son, said: 8

“The prince having begotten a son, will love him as I love the

prince. This will be a strong tie to bind Siddhattha’s heart to the

interests of the world, and the kingdom of the Sakyas will remain

under the sceptre of my descendants.” 9

With no selfish aim, but regarding his child and the people at

large, Siddhattha, the prince, attended to his religious duties,

bathing his body in the holy Ganges and cleansing his heart in the

waters of the law. Even as men desire to give happiness to their

children, so did he long to give peace to the world. 10VI. THE THREE WOES

The palace which the king had given to the prince was resplendent

with all the luxuries of India; for the king was anxious to see his

son happy. 1

All sorrowful sights, all misery, and all knowledge of misery were

kept away from Siddhattha, for the king desired that no troubles

should come nigh him; he should not know that there was evil in the

world. 2

But as the chained elephant longs for the wilds of the jungles, so

the prince was eager to see the world, and he asked his father, the

king, for permission to do so. 3

And Suddhodana ordered a jewel-fronted chariot with four stately

horses to be held ready, and commanded the roads to be adorned where

his son would pass. 4

The houses of the city were decorated with curtains and banners,

and spectators arranged themselves on either side, eagerly gazing at

the heir to the throne. Thus Siddhattha rode with Channa, his

charioteer, through the streets of the city, and into a country

watered by rivulets and covered with pleasant trees. 5

There by the wayside they met an old man with bent frame, wrinkled

face and sorrowful brow, and the prince asked the charioteer: “Who is

this? His head is white, his eyes are bleared, and his body is

withered. He can barely support himself on his staff.” 6

The charioteer, much embarrassed, hardly dared speak the truth. He

said: “These are the symptoms of old age. This same man was once a

suckling child, and as a youth full of sportive life; but now, as

years have passed away, his beauty is gone and the strength of his

life is wasted.” 7

Siddhattha was greatly affected by the words of the charioteer, and

he sighed because of the pain of old age. “What joy or pleasure can

men take,” he thought to himself, “when they know they must soon

wither and pine away!” 8

And lo! while they were passing on, a sick man appeared on the way-

side, gasping for breath, his body disfigured, convulsed and groaning

with pain. 9

The prince asked his charioteer: “What kind of man is this?” And

the charioteer replied and said: “This man is sick. The four elements

of his body are confused and out of order. We are all subject to such

conditions: the poor and the rich, the ignorant and the wise, all

creatures that have bodies, are liable to the same calamity.” 10

And Siddhattha was still more moved. All pleasures appeared stale

to him, and he loathed the joys of life. 11

The charioteer sped the horses on to escape the dreary sight, when

suddenly they were stopped in their fiery course. 12

Four persons passed by, carrying a corpse; and the prince, shuddering at the sight of a lifeless body, asked the charioteer:

“What is this they carry? There are streamers and flower garlands;

but the men that follow are overwhelmed with grief!” 13

The charioteer replied: “This is a dead man: his body is stark; his

life is gone; his thoughts are still; his family and the friends who

loved him now carry the corpse to the grave.” 14

And the prince was full of awe and terror: “Is this the only dead

man,” he asked, “or does the world contain other instances?” 15

With a heavy heart the charioteer replied: “All over the world it

is the same. He who begins life must end it. There is no escape from

death.” 16

With bated breath and stammering accents the prince exclaimed: “O

worldly men! How fatal is your delusion! Inevitable your body will

crumble to dust, yet carelessly, unheedingly, ye live on.” 17

The charioteer observing the deep impression these sad sights had

made on the prince, turned his horses and drove back to the city. 18

When they passes by the palaces of the nobility, Kisa Gotami, a

young princess and niece of the king, saw Siddhattha in his manliness

and beauty, and, observing the thoughtfulness of his countenance,

said: “Happy the father that begot thee, happy the mother that nursed

thee, happy the wife that calls husband this lord so glorious.” 19

The prince hearing this greeting, said: “Happy are they that have

found deliverance. Longing for peace of mind, I shall seek the bliss

of Nirvana.” 20

Then asked Kisa Gotami: “How is Nirvana attained?” The prince

paused, and to him whose mind was estranged from wrong the answer

came: “When the fire of lust is gone out, then Nirvana is gained; when

the fires of hatred and delusion are gone out, then Nirvana is gained;

when the troubles of mind, arising from blind credulity, and all other

evils have ceased, then Nirvana is gained!” Siddhattha handed her his

precious pearl necklace as a reward for the instruction she had given

him, and having returned home looked with disdain upon the treasures

of his palace. 21

His wife welcomed him and entreated him to tell her the cause of

his grief. He said: “I see everywhere the impression of change;

therefore, my heart is heavy. Men grow old, sicken, and die. That is

enough to take away the zest of life.” 22

The king, his father, hearing that the prince had become estranged

from pleasure, was greatly overcome with sorrow and like a sword it

pierced his heart. 23VII. THE BODHISATTA’S RENUNCIATION

It was night. The prince found no rest on his soft pillow; he

arose and went out into the garden. “Alas!” he cried, “all the world

is full of darkness and ignorance; there is no one who knows how to

cure the ills of existence.” And he groaned with pain. 1

Siddhattha sat down beneath the great jambu-tree and gave himself to thought, pondering on life and death and the evils of decay.

Concentrating his mind he became free from confusion. All low desires

vanished from his heart and perfect tranquillity came over him. 2

In this state of ecstacy he saw with his mental eye all the misery

and sorrow of the world; he saw the pains of pleasure and the

inevitable certainty of death that hovers over every being; yet men

are not awakened to the truth. And a deep compassion seized his

heart. 3

While the prince was pondering on the problem of evil, he beheld

with his mind’s eye under the jambu-tree a lofty figure endowed with

majesty, calm and dignified. “Whence comest thou, and who mayest thou

be?” asked the prince. 4

In reply the vision said: “I am a samana. Troubled at the thought

of old age, disease, and death I have left my home to seek the path of

salvation. All things hasten to decay; only the truth abideth

forever. Everything changes, and there is no permanency; yet the

words of the Buddhas are immutable. I long for the happiness that

does not decay; the treasure that will never perish; the life that

knows of no beginning and no end. Therefore, I have destroyed all

worldly thought. I have retired into an unfrequented dell to live in

solitude; and, begging for food, I devote myself to the one thing

needful.” 5

Siddhattha asked: “Can peace be gained in this world of unrest? I

am struck with the emptiness of pleasure and have become disgusted

with lust. All oppresses me, and existence itself seems

intolerable.” 6

The samana replied: “Where heat is, there is also a possibility of cold; creatures subject to pain possess the faculty of pleasure; the origin of evil indicates that good can be developed. For these things are correlatives. Thus where there is much suffering, there will be much bliss, if thou but open thine eyes to behold it. Just as a man who has fallen into a heap of filth ought to seek the great pond of water covered with lotuses, which is near by: even so seek thou for the great deathless lake of Nirvana to wash off the defilement of wrong. If the lake is not sought, it is not the fault of the lake.

Even so when there is a blessed road leading the man held fast by

wrong to the salvation of Nirvana, if the road is not walked upon, it

is not the fault of the road, but of the person. And when a man who

is oppressed with sickness, there being a physician who can heal him,

does not avail himself of the physician’s help, that is not the fault

of the physician. Even so when a man oppressed by the malady of

wrong-doing does not seek the spiritual guide of enlightenment, that

is no fault of the evil-destroying guide.” 7

The prince listened to the noble words of his visitor and said:

“Thou bringest good tidings, for now I know that my purpose will be

accomplished. My father advises me to enjoy life and to undertake

worldly duties, such as will bring honour to me and to our house. He

tells me that I am too young still, that my pulse beats too full to

lead a religious life.” 8

The venerable figure shook his head and replied: “Thou shouldest

know that for seeking a religious life no time can be inopportune.” 9

A thrill of joy passed through Siddhattha’s heart. “Now is the

time to seek religion,” he said; “now is the time to sever all ties

that would prevent me from attaining perfect enlightenment; now is the

time to wonder into homelessness and, leading a mendicant’s life, to

find the path of deliverance.” 10

The celestial messenger heard the resolution of Siddhattha with

approval. 11

“Now, indeed,” he added, “is the time to seek religion. Go,

Siddhattha, and accomplish thy purpose. For thou art Bodhisatta, the

Buddha-elect; thou art destined to enlighten the world. 12

“Thou art the Tathagata, the great master, for thou wilt fulfil all

righteousness and be Dharmaraja, the king of truth. Thou art

Bhagavat, the Blessed One, for thou art called upon to become the

saviour and redeemer of the world. 13

“Fulfil thou the perfection of truth. Though the thunderbolt

descend upon thy head, yield thou never to the allurements that

bequile men from the path of truth. As the sun at all seasons pursues

his own course, nor ever goes on another, even so if thou forsake not

the straight path of righteousness, thou shalt become a Buddha. 14

“Persevere in thy quest and thou shalt find what thou seekest. Pursue they aim unswervingly and thou shalt gain the prize. Struggle earnestly and thou shalt conquer. The benediction of all deities, of all saints, of all that seek light is upon thee, and heavenly wisdom guides thy steps. Thou shalt be the Buddha, our Master, and our Lord;

Thou shalt enlighten the world and save mankind from perdition.” 15

Having thus spoken, the vision vanished, and Siddhatta’s heart was

filled with peace. He said to himself: 16

“I have awakened to the truth and I am resolved to accomplish my

purpose. I will sever all ties that bind me to the world, and I will

go out from my home to seek the way of salvation. 17

“The Buddhas are beings whose words cannot fail: there is no

departure from truth in their speech. 18

“For as the fall of a stone thrown into the air, as the death of a

mortal, as the sunrise at dawn, as the lion’s roar when he leaves his

lair, as the delivery of a woman with child, as all these things are

sure and certain - even so the word of the Buddhas is sure and

cannot fail. 19

“Verily I shall become a Buddha.” 20

The prince returned to the bedroom of his wife to take a last

farewell glance at those whom he dearly loved above all the treasures

of the earth. He longed to take the infant once more into his arms

and kiss him with a parting kiss. But the child lay in the arms of

his mother and the prince could not lift him without awakening

both. 21

There Siddhattha stood gazing at his beautiful wife and his beloved

son, and his heart grieved. The pain of parting overcame him

powerfully. Although his mind was determined, so that nothing, be it

good or evil, could shake his resolution, the tears flowed freely from

his eyes, and it was beyond his power to check their stream. But the

prince tore himself away with a manly heart, suppressing his feelings

but not extinguishing his memory. 22

The Bodhisatta mounted his noble steed Kanthaka, and when he left

the palace, Mara stood in the gate and stopped him: “Depart not, O my

Lord,” exclaimed Mara. “In seven days from now the wheel of empire

will appear, and will make thee sovereign over the four continents and

the two thousand adjacent islands. Therefore, stay, my Lord.” 23

The Bodhisatta replied: “Well do I know that the wheel of empire

will appear to me; but it is not sovereignty that I desire. I will

become a Buddha and make all the world shout for joy.” 24

Thus Siddhattha, the prince, renounced power and worldly pleasures,

gave up his kingdom, severed all ties, and went into homelessness. He

rode out into the silent night, accompanied only by his faithful

charioteer Channa. 25

Darkness lay upon the earth, but the stars shone brightly in the

heavens. 26VIII. KING BIMBISARA

Siddhattha had cut his waving hair and had exchanged his royal robe

for a mean dress of the colour of the ground. Having sent home

Channa, the charioteer, together with the noble steed Kanthaka, to

king Suddhodana to bear him the message that the prince had left the

world, the Bodhisatta walked along on the highroad with a begger’s

bowl in his hand. 1

Yet the majesty of his mind was ill-concealed under the poverty of

his appearance. His erect gait betrayed his royal birth and his eyes

beamed with a fervid zeal for truth. The beauty of his youth was

transfigured by holiness and surrounded his head like a halo. 2

All the people who saw this unusual sight gazed at him in wonder.

Those who were in haste arrested their steps and looked back; and

there was no one who did not pay him homage. 3

Having entered the city of Rajagaha, the prince went from house to

house silently waiting till the people offered him food. Wherever the

Blessed One came, the people gave him what they had; they bowed before

him in humility and were filled with gratitude because he condescended

to approach their homes. 4

Old and young people were moved and said: “This is a noble muni!

His approach is bliss. What a great joy for us!” 5

And king Bimbisara, noticing the commotion in the city, inquired

the cause of it, and when he learned the news sent one of his

attendants to observe the stranger. 6

Having heard that the muni must be a Sakya and of noble family, and

that he had retired to the bank of a flowing river in the woods to eat

the food in his bowl, the king was moved in his heart; he donned his

royal robe, placed his golden crown upon his head and went out in

the company of aged and wise counsellors to meet his mysterious

guest. 7

The king found the muni of the Sakya race seated under a tree.

Contemplating the composure of his face and the gentleness of his

deportment, Bimbisara greeted him reverently and said: 8

“O samana, thy hands are fit to grasp the reins of an empire and should not hold a beggar’s bowl. I am sorry to see thee wasting thy youth. Believing that thou art of royal descent, I invite thee to join me in the government of my country and share my royal power. Desire for power is becoming to the noble-minded, and wealth should not be despised. To grow rich and lose religion is not true gain.

But he who possesses all three, power, wealth and religion, enjoying

them in discretion and with wisdom, him I call a great master.” 9

The great Sakyamuni lifted his eyes and replied: 10

“Thou art known, O king, to be liberal and religious, and thy words

are prudent. A kind man who makes good use of wealth is rightly said

to possess a great treasure, but the miser who hoards up his riches

will have no profit. 11

“Charity is rich in returns; charity is the greatest wealth, for

though it scatters, it brings no repentance. 12

“I have severed all ties because I seek deliverance. How is it

possible for me to return to the world? He who seeks religious truth,

which is the highest treasure of all, must leave behind all that can

concern him or draw away his attention, and must be bent upon that one

goal alone. He must free his soul from covetousness and lust, and

also from the desire for power. 13

“Indulge in lust but a little, and lust like a child will grow.

Wield worldly power and you will be burdened with cares. 14

“Better than sovereignty over the earth, better than living in

heaven, better than lordship over all the worlds, is the fruit of

holiness. 15

“The Bodhisatta has recognized the illusory nature of wealth and

will not take poison as food. 16

“Will a fish that has been baited still covet the hook, or an

escaped bird love the net? 17

“Would a rabbit rescued from the serpent’s mouth go back to be

devoured? Would a man who has burnt his hand with a torch take up the

torch after he had dropped it to the earth? Would a blind man who has

recovered his sight desire to spoil his eyes again? 18

“The sick man suffering from fever seeks for a cooling medicine.

Shall we advise him to drink that which will increase the fever?

Shall we quench a fire by heaping fuel upon it? 19

“I pray thee, pity me not. Rather pity those who are burdened with

the cares of royalty and the worry of great riches. They enjoy them

in fear and trembling, for they are constantly threatened with a loss

of those boons on whose possession their hearts are set, and when they

die they cannot take along either their gold or the kingly diadem. 20

“My heart hankers no vulgar profit, so I have put away my royal

inheritance and prefer to be free from the burdens of life. 21

“Therefore, try not to entangle me in new relationships and duties,

nor hinder me from completing the work I have begun. 22

“I regret to leave thee. But I will go to the sages who can teach

me religion and so find the path on which we can escape evil. 23

“May thy country enjoy peace and prosperity, and may wisdom be shed

upon thy rule like the brightness of the noon day sun. May thy royal

power be strong and may righteousness be the sceptre in thine hand.”24

The king, clasping his hands with reverence, bowed down before

Sakyamuni and said: “Mayest thou obtain that which thou seekest, and

when thou hast obtained it, come back, I pray thee, and receive me as

thy disciple.” 25

The Bodhisatta parted from the king in friendship and goodwill, and

purposed in his heart to grant his request. 26IX. THE BODHISATTA’S SEARCH

Alara and Uddaha were renowed as teachers among the Brahmans, and

there was no one in those days who surpassed them in learning and

philosophical knowledge. 1

The Bodhisatta went to them and sat at their feet. He listened to

their doctrines of the atman or self, which is the ego of the mind and

the doer of all doings. He learned their views of the transmigration

of souls and the law of karma; how the souls of bad men had to suffer

by being reborn in men of low caste, in animals, or in hell, while

those who purified themselves by libations, by sacrifices, and by

self-mortification would become kings, or Brahmans, or devas, so as to

rise higher in the grades of existence. He studied their incantations

and offerings and the methods by which they attained deliverance of

the ego from material existence in states of ecstacy. 2

Alara said: “What is that self which perceives the actions of the five roots of mind, touch, smell, taste, sight and hearing? What is that which is active in the two ways of motion, in the hands and in the feet? The problem of the soul appears in the expressions ‘I say,’ ‘I know and perceive,’ ‘I come,’ and ‘I go’ or ‘I will stay here.’ They soul is not thy body; it is not thy eye, not thy ear, not thy nose, not thy tongue, nor is it thy mind. The I is the one who feels the touch in thy body. The I is the smeller in the nose, the taster in the tongue, the seer in the eye, the hearer in the ear, and the thinker in the mind. The I moves thy hands and thy feet. The I is thy soul. Doubt in the existence of the soul is irreligious, and without discerning this truth there is no way of salvation. Deep speculation will easily involve the mind; it leads to confusion and unbelief; but a purification of the soul leads to the way of escape.

True deliverance is reached by removing from the croud and leading a

hermit’s life, depending entirely on alms for food. Putting away all

desire and clearly recognizing the non-existence of matter, we reach a

state of perfect emptiness. Here we find the condition of immaterial

life. As the munja grass when freed from its horny case, as a sword

when drawn from its scabbard, or as the wild bird escaped from its

prison, so the ego, liberating itself from all limitations, finds

perfect release. This is true deliverance, but those only who will

have deep faith will learn.” 3

The Bodhisatta found no satisfaction in these teachings. He

replied: “People are in bondage, because they have not yet removed the

idea of the ego. 4

“The thing and its quality are different in our thought, but not in

reality. Heat is different from fire in our thought, but you cannot

remove heat from fire in reality. You say that you can remove the

qualities and leave the thing, but if you think your theory to the

end, you will find that this is not so. 5

“Is not man an organism of many aggregates? Are we not composed of

various attributes? Man consists of the material form, of sensation,

of thought, of dispositions, and, lastly, of understanding. That

which men call the ego when they say ‘I am’ is not an entity behind

the attributes; it originates by their co-operation. There is mind;

there is sensation and thought, and there is truth; and truth is mind

when it walks in the path of righteousness. But there is no separate

ego-soul outside of behind the thought of man. He who believes that

the ego is a distinct being has no correct conception of things. The

very search for the atman is wrong; it is a wrong start and it will

lead you in a false direction. 6

“How much confusion of thought comes from our interest in self, and

from our vanity when thinking ‘I am so great,’ or ‘I have done this

wonderful deed?’ The thought of thine ego stands between thy rational

nature and truth; banish it, and then wilt thou see things as they

are. He who thinks correctly will rid himself of ignorance and

acquire wisdom. The ideas ‘I am’ and ‘I shall be’ or ‘I shall not be’

do not occur to a clear thinker. 7

“Moreover, if our ego remains, how can we attain true deliverance?

If the ego is to be reborn in any of the three worlds, be it in hell,

upon earth, or be it in heaven, we shall meet again and again the same

inevitable doom of sorrow. We shall remain chained to the wheel of

individuality and shall be implicated in egotism and wrong. 8

“All combinations is subject to separation, and we cannot escape

birth, disease, old age, and death. Is this a final escape?” 9

Said Uddaka: “Consider the unity of things. Things are not their

parts, yet they exist. The members and organs of thy body are not

thine ego, but thine ego possesses all these parts. What, for

instance, is the Ganges? Is the sand the Ganges? Is the water the

Ganges? Is the hither bank the Ganges? Is the farther bank the

Ganges? The Ganges is a mighty river and it possesses all these

several qualities. Exactly so is our ego.” 10

But the Bodhisatta replied: “Not so, sir! If we except the water,

the sand, the hither bank and the farther bank, where can we find any

Ganges? In the same way I observe the activities of man in their

harmonious union, but there is no ground for an ego outside it

parts.” 11

The Brahman sage, however, insisted on the existence of the ego,

saying: “The ego is the doer of our deeds. How can there be karma

without a self as its performer? Do we not see around us the effects

of karma? What makes men different in character, station,

possessions, and fate? It is their karma, and karma includes merit

and demerit. The transmigration of the soul is subject to its karma.

We inherit from former existences the evil effects of our evil deeds

and the good effects of our good deeds. If that were not so, how

could we be different?” 12

The Tathagata meditated deeply on the problems of transmigration

and karma, and found the truth that lies in them. 13

“The doctrine of karma,” he said, “is undeniable, but thy theory of

the ego has no foundation. 14

“Like everything else in nature, the life of man is subject to the

law of cause and effent. The present reaps what the past has sown,

and the future is the product of the present. But there is no

evidence of the existence of an immutable ego-being, of a self which

remains the same and migrates from body to body. There is rebirth but

no transmigration. 15

“Is not this individuality of mine a combination, material as well

as mental? Is it not made up of qualities that sprang into being by a

gradual evolution? The five roots of sense-perception in this

organism have come from ancestors who performed these functions. The

ideas which I think, came to me partly from others who thought them,

and partly they rise from combinations of the ideas in my mind. Those

who have used the same sense-organs, and have thought the same ideas

before I was composed into this individuality of mine are my previous

existences; they are my ancestors as much as the I of yesterday is the

father of the I of to-day, and the karma of my past deeds conditions

the fate of my present existence. 16

“Supposing that were an atman that performs the actions of the

senses, then if the door of sight were torn down and the eye plucked

out, that atman would be able to peep throught he larger aperture and

see the forms of its surroundings better and more clearly than before.

it would be able to hear sounds better if the ears were torn away;

smell better if the nose were cut off; taste better if the tongue were

pulled out; and feel better if the body were destroyed. 17

“I observe the preservation and transmission of character; I

perceive the truth of karma, but see no atman whom your doctrine makes

the doer of your deeds. There is rebirth without the transmigration

of a self. For this atman, this self, this ego in the ‘I say’ and in

the ‘I will’ is an illusion. If this self were a reality, how could

there be an escape from selfhood? The terror of hell would be

infinite, and no release could be granted. The evils of existence

would not be due to our ignorance and wrong-doing, but would

constitute the very nature of our being.” 18

And the Bodhisatta went to the priests officiating in the temples.

But the gentle mind of the Sakyamuni was offended at the unnecessary

cruelty performed on the altars of the gods. He said: 19

“Ignorance only can make these men prepare festivals and hold vast

meetings for sacrifices. Far better to revere the truth than try to

appease the gods by shedding blood. 20

“What love can a man possess who believes that the desturction of life will atone for evil deeds? Can a new wrong expiate old wrongs?

And can the slaughter of an innocent victim blot out the evil deeds of

mankind? This is practising religion by the neglect of moral

conduct. 21

“Purify your hearts and cease to kill, that is true religion. 22

“Rituals have no efficacy; prayers are vain repetitions; and

incantations have no saving power. But to abandon covetousness and

lust, to become free from evil passions, and to give up all hatred and

ill-will, that is the right sacrifice and the true worship.” 23X. URUVELA, THE PLACE OF MORTIFICATION

The Bodhisatta went in search of a better system and came to a

settlement of five bhikkhus in the jungle of Uruvela; and when the

Blessed One saw the life of those five men, virtuously keeping in

check their senses, subduing their passions, and practising austere

self-discipline, he admired their earnestness and joined their

company. 1

With holy zeal and a strong heart, the Sakyamuni gave himself up to

meditative thought and rigorous mortification of the body. Whereas

the five bhikkhus were severe, the Sakyamuni was severer still, and

they revered him, their junior, as their master. 2

So the Bodhisatta continued for six years patiently torturing

himself and suppressing the wants of nature. He trained his body and

exercised his mind in the modes of the most regorous ascetic life. At

last, he ate each day one hemp-grain only, seeking to cross the ocean

of birth and death and to arrive at the shore of deliverance. 3

And when the Bodhisatta was ahungered, lo! Mara, the Evil One, approached him and said: “Thou art emanciated from fasts, and death is near. What good is thy exertion? Deign to live, and thou wilt be able to do good works.” But the Sakyamuni made reply: “O thou friend of the indolent, thou wicked one; for what purpose hast thou come?

Let the flesh waste away, if but the mind becomes more tranquil and

attention more steadfast. What is life in this world? Death in

battle is better to me than that I should live defeated.” 4

And Mara withdrew, saying: “For seven years I have followed the

Blessed One step by step, but I have found no fault in the

Tathagata.” 5

The Bodhisatta was shrunken and attenuated, and his body was like a

withered branch; but the fame of his holiness spread in the

surrounding countries and people came from great distances to see him

and receive his blessing. 6

However, the Holy One was not satisfied. Seeking true wisdom he

did not find it, and he came to the conclusion that mortification

would not extinguish desire nor afford enlightenment in ecstatic

contemplation. 7

Seated beneath a jambu-tree, he considered the state of his mind

and the fruits of his mortification. His body had become weaker, nor

had his fasts advanced him in his search for salvation, and therefore

when he saw that is was not the right path, he proposed to abandon

it. 8

He went to bathe in the Neranyjaro river, but when he strove to

leave the water he could not rise on account of his weakness. Then

espying the branch of a tree and taking hold of it, he raised himself

and left the stream. But while returning to his abode, he staggered

and fell to the ground, and the fove bhikkhus thought he was dead. 9

There was a chief herdsman living near the grove whose eldest daughter was called Nanda; and Nanda happened to pass by the spot where the Blessed One had swooned, and bowing down before him she offered him rice-milk and he accepted the gift. When he had partaken of the rice-milk is all his limbs were refreshed, his mind became clear agin, and he was strong to receive the highest enlightenment.

After this occurrence, the Bodhisatta again took some food. His

disciples, having witnessed the scene of Nanda and observing the

change in his mode of living, were filled with suspicion. They were

convinced that Siddhattha’s religious zeal was flagging and that he

whom they had hitherto revered as their Master had become oblivious of

his high purpose. 11

When the Bodhisatta saw the bhikkhus turning away from him, he felt

sorry for their lack of confidence, and was aware of the loneliness in

which he lived. 12

Suppressing his grief he wandered on alone, and his disciples said:

“Siddhattha leaves us to seek a more pleasant abode.” 13XI. MARA THE EVIL ONE

The Holy One directed his steps to that blessed Bodhi-tree beneath

whose shade he was to accomplish his search. 1

As he walked, the earth shook and a brilliant light transfigured

the world. 2

When he sat down the heavens resounded with joy and all living

beings were filled with good cheer. 3

Mara alone, lord of the five desires, bringer of death and enemy of

truth, was grieved and rejoiced not. With his three daughters, Tanha,

Raga and Arati, the tempters, and with his host of evil demons, he

went to the place where the great samana sat. But Sakyamuni heeded

him not. 4

Mara uttered fear-inspiring threats and raised a whirl-wind so that

the skies were darkened and the ocean roared and trembled. But the

Blessed One under the Bodhi-tree remained calm and feared not. The

Enlightened One knew that no harm could befall him. 5

The three daughters of Mara tempted the Bodhisatta, but he paid no

attention to them, and when Mara saw that he could kindle no desire in

the heart of the victorious samana, he ordered all the evil spirits at

his command to attack him and overawe the great muni. 6

But the Blessed One watched them as one would watch the harmless

games of children. All the fierce hatred of the evil spirits was of

no avail. The flames of hell became wholesome breezes of perfume, and

the angry thunderbolts were changed into lotus-blossoms. 7

When Mara saw this, he fled away with his army from the Bodhi-tree,

whilst from above a rain of heavenly flowers fell, and voices of good

spirits were heard: 8

“Behold the great muni! his heart unmoved by hatred. The wicked

Mara’s host ‘gainst him did not prevail. Pure is he and wise, loving

and full of mercy. 9

“As the rays of the sun drown the darkness of the world, so the who

perseveres in his search will find the truth and the truth will

enlighten him.” 10XII. ENLIGHTENMENT

The Bodhisatta, having put Mara to flight, gave himself up to

meditation. All the miseries of the world, the evils produced by evil

deeds and the sufferings arising therefrom, passed before his mental

eye, and he thought: 1

“Surely if living creatures saw the results of all their evil

deeds, they would turn away from them in disgust. But selfhood blinds

them, and they cling to their obnoxious desires. 2

“They crave pleasure for themselves and they cause pain to others;

when death destroys their individuality, they find no peace; their

thirst for existence abides and their selfhood reappears in new

births. 3

“Thus they continue to move in the coil and can find no escape from

the hell of their own making. And how empty are their pleasures, how

vain are their endeavours! Hollow like the plantain-tree and without

contents like the bubble. 4

“The world is full of evil and sorrow, because it is full of lust.

Men go astray because they think that delusion is better than truth.

Rather than truth they follow error, which is pleasant to look at in

the beginning but in the end causes anxiety, tribulation, and

misery.” 5

And the Bodhisatta began to expound the Dharma. The Dharma is the

truth. The Dharma is the sacred law. The Dharma is religion. The

Dharma alone can deliver us from error, from wrong and from sorrow. 6

Pondering on the origin of birth and death, the Enlightened One

recognized that ignorance was the root of all evil; and these are the

links in the development of life, called the twelve nidanas: 7

In the beginning there is existence blind and without knowledge; and in this sea of ignorance there are stirrings, formative and organizing. From stirrings, formative and organizing, rises awareness or feelings. Feelings beget organisms that live as individual beings.

These organisms develop the six fields, that is, the five senses and

the mind. The six fields come incontact with things. Contact begets

sensation. Sensation creates the thirst of individualized being. The

thirst of being creates a cleaving to things. The cleaving produces

the growth and continuation of selfhood. Selfhood continues in

renewed births. The renewed births of selfhood are the cause of

suffering, old age, sickness, and death. They produce lamentation,

anxiety, and dispair. 8

The cause of all sorrow lies at the very beginning; it is hidden in

the ignorance from which life grows. Remove ignorance and you will

destroy the wrong appetences that rise from ignorance; destroy these

appetences and you will wipe out the wrong perception that rises from

them. Destroy wrong perception and there is an end of errors in

individualized beings. Destroy the error in individualized beings and

the illusions of the six fields will disappear. Destroy illusions and

the contact with things will cease to beget misconception. Destroy

misconception and you do away with thirst. Destroy thirst and you

will be free of all morbid cleaving. Remove the cleaving and you

destroy the selfishness of selfhood. If the selfishness of selfhood

is destroyed you will be above birth, old age, disease, and death, and

you will escape all suffering. 9

The enlightened One saw the four noble truths which point out the

path that leads to Nirvana or the extinction of self: 10

The first noble truth is the existence of sorrow. 11

The second noble truth is the cause of suffering. 12

The third noble truth is cessation of sorrow. 13

The fourth noble truth is the eightfold path that leads to the

cessation of sorrow. 14

This is the Dharma. This is the truth. This is religion. And the

Enlightened One uttered this stanza: 15

“Through many births I sought in vain The Builder of this House of Pain.

Now, Builder, thee I plainly see!

This is the last abode for me.

Thy gable’s yoke and rafters broke,

My heart has peace. All lust will cease.” 16 There is self and there is truth. Where self is, truth is not.

Where truth is, self is not. Self is the fleeting error of samsara; it is individual separateness and that egotism which begets envy and hatred. Self is the yearning for pleasure and the lust after vanity.

Truth is the correct comprehension of things; it is the permanent and

everlasting, the real in all existence, the bliss of

righteousness. 17

The existence of self is an illusion, and there is no wrong in this

world, no vise, no evil, except what flows fromt the assertion of

self. 18

The attainment of truth is possible only when self is recognized as

an illusion. Righteousness can be practised only when we have freed

our mind from passions of egotism. Perfect peace can dwell only where

all vanity has disappeared. 19

Blessed is he who has understood the Dharma. Blessed is he who

dies no harm to his fellow-beings. Blessed is he who overcomes wrong

and is free from passion. To the highest bliss has he attained who

has conquered all selfishness and vanity. He has become the Buddha,

the Perfect One, the Blessed One, the Holy One. 20XIII. THE FIRST CONVERTS

The Blessed One tarried in solitude seven times seven days,

enjoying the bliss of emancipation. 1

At that time Tapussa and Bhallika, two merchants, came traveling on

the road near by, and when they saw the great samana, majestic and

full of peace, they approached him respectfully and offered him rice

cakes and honey. 2

This was the first food that the Enlightened One ate after he

attained Buddhahood. 3

And the Buddha addressed them and pointed out to them the way of

salvation. The two merchants, conceiving in their minds the holiness

of the conqueror of Mara, bowed down in reverence and said: “We take

our refuge, Lord, in the Blessed One and in the Dharma.” 4

Tapussa and Bhallika were the first that became followers of the

Buddha and they were lay disciples. 5XIV. BRAHMA’S REQUEST

The Blessed One having attained Buddhahood while resting under the

shepherd’s Nigrodha tree on the banks of the river Neranyjara,

pronounced this solemn utterance: 1

“How blest in happy solitude

Is he who hears of truth the call!

How blest to be both kind and good,

To practice self-restraint to all!

How blest from passion to be free,

All sensuous joys to let pass by!

Yet highest bliss enjoyeth he

Who quits the pride of ‘I am I.’ 2

“I have recognized the deepest truth, which is sublime and peace-

giving, but difficult to understand; for most men move in a sphere of

worldly interests and find their delights in worldly desires. 3

“The worldling will not understand the doctrine, for to him there

is happiness in selfhood only, and the bliss that lies in a complete

surrender to truth is unintelligible to him. 4

“He will call resignation what to the enlightened mind is the

purest joy. He will see annihilation where the perfected one finds

immortality. He will regard as death what the conqueror of self knows

to be life everlasting. 5

“The truth remains hidden from him who is in the bondage of hate

and desire. Nirvana remains incomprehensible and mysterious to the

vulgar whose minds are beclouded with worldly interests. Should I

preach the doctrine and mankind not comprehend it, it would bring me

only fatigue and trouble.” 6

Mara, the Evil One, on hearing the words of the Blessed Buddha,

approached and said: “Be greeted, thou Holy One. Thou hast attained

the highest bliss and it is time for thee to enter into the final

Nirvana.” 7

Then Brahma Sahampati descended from the heavens and, having

worshipped the Blessed One, said: 8

“Alas! the world must perish, should the Holy One, the Tathagata,

decide not to teach the Dharma. 9

“Be merciful to those that struggle; have compassion upon the

sufferers; pity the creatures who are hopelessly entangled in the

snares of sorrow. 10

“There are some beings that are almost free from the dust of

worldliness. If they hear not the doctrine preached, they will be

lost. But if they hear it, they will believe and be saved.” 11

The Blessed One, full of compassion, looked with the eye of a

Buddha upon all sentient creatures, and he saw among them beings whose

minds were but scarcely covered by the dust of worldliness, who were

of good disposition and easy to instruct. He saw some who were

conscious of the dangers of lust and wrong doing. 12

And the Blessed One said to Brahma Sahampati: “Wide open be the

door of immortality to all who have ears to hear. May they receive

the Dharma with faith.” 13

And the Blessed One turned to Mara, saying: “I shall not pass into

the final Nirvana, O Evil One, until there be not only brethren and

sisters of an Order, but also lay-disciples of both sexes, who shall

have become true hearers, wise, well-trained, ready and learned,

versed in the scriptures, fulfilling all the greater and lesser

duties, correct in life, walking according to the precepts - until

they, having thus themselves learned the doctrine, shall be able to

give information to others concerning it, preach it, make it known,

establish it, open it, minutely explain it, and make it clear - until

they, when others start vain doctrines, shall be able to vanquish and

refute them, and so to spread the wonder-working truth abroad. I shall

not die until the pure religion of truth shall have become successful,

prosperous, wide-spread and popular in all its full extent - until, in